W5 QA

[Knightingale]

I mean, the discussion was about to what degree lore/worldbuilding is good or bad. Then Warhammer was brought up and people with various levels of knowledge when it comes to 40k discussed it...

All that's proved is that there's plenty to talk about in that regard and not much in regards to W5... but W5 doesn't have a lot of lore by design which is why it isn't part of the previews. And maybe that says something that WH40k lore is a better topic of discussion than the neutered setting of W5... After all, what these previews are designed to do is build excitement and in the case of W5 they're not doing a good job of that.

[Asmodai]

I actually tagged out as well. I know too much about 40k stuff, but really don't want to mix it up here. Discussing about Games Workshop policies and how effective their marketing and IP use is a valid tangent I think, but the thread really lost itself in spessh marines and nuns with guns.

[Knightingale]

Although I think there's one element with GW-IP-policy that is worthy of mentioning here: In recent years they've gotten very protective of what they have. And what this looked like is this attempt to "rename"... pretty much everything. But in this case, "renaming" is happening in a very superficial sense: The Dark Eldar are called Drukhari, the elves of the new Age of Sigmar setting are called "Aelves" and the imperial guard is now called "Astra Militarum". That sort of stuff. It's all done to create copyrightable terms.

So it's all done in the name of a brand and strengthening its position of what IP's it has. GW failed in the past to copyright the term "Space Marine" (and there was an actual trial determining that) but "Primaris Space Marines"...? Now that's something you can copyright.

What's interesting is that in this case, the impulse has been to build up the brand by shoring up distinct elements. Meanwhile, Justin Achilli's handling of the WOD-IP goes in the complete opposite direction. The IP gets abandoned in favor of a new more generic paradigm.

Then again, if it works or not, the person who designed it has already left anyway.

[Heavy Arms]

Trademark, not copyright: copyright's protect a total unique individual work. Trademarks protect company identifying material. You can't copyright space mariners because it's not a single work. You can't trademark it because it isn't unique enough to be uniquely associated with GW. You can't copyright "Werewolf: the Apocalypse" or even the concept of animist werewolves engaging in religious ecoterrorism. You trademark "Werewolf: the Apocalypse" because that's solely associated with one IP.

[Knightingale]

Trademark, not copyright: copyright's protect a total unique individual work. Trademarks protect company identifying material. You can't copyright space mariners because it's not a single work. You can't trademark it because it isn't unique enough to be uniquely associated with GW. You can't copyright "Werewolf: the Apocalypse" or even the concept of animist werewolves engaging in religious ecoterrorism. You trademark "Werewolf: the Apocalypse" because that's solely associated with one IP.

You're right. In this case, it's important to distinguish between trade mark and copyright.

[Asmodai]

So, "W5 will be playable at Gencon". Not sure if that means just demo ready or books available?

[Knightingale]

So, "W5 will be playable at Gencon". Not sure if that means just demo ready or books available?

From the sounds of it, both. The physical release for the general public will come later though. And it seems (just like with the V5 players guide) earlier access to the pdf is linked to you ordering a pre-order hardcover-copy.

The new logo for W5 has also been revealed (very "urban fantasy" is my first impression which is fitting, I guess).

I've yet to see the deep-dive stream but the first stream with the president of the company and that one marketing person made me feel like I was watching QVC... except it's IP-RPGs.

[Ana Mizuki]

The new logo for W5 has also been revealed (very "urban fantasy" is my first impression which is fitting, I guess).

Do you have an image of the new logo?

[Knightingale]

Do you have an image of the new logo?

I've uploaded the image here.

[Ana Mizuki]

I've uploaded the image here.

Ty.

Aww, I liked the more stylized 'apocalypse' from before.

[TwoDSix]

I've uploaded the image here.

It looks too clean, but I guess that fits the sanitised nature of W5.


I'm skeptical that there will be physical books available at gencon, and very skeptical about that they'd do something like UA binder copies. They've got what, four months to redraft, proof, and do layout and art? Maybe six if printing can be done quickly? I don't work in RPG book creation, but that feels a bit tight. Maybe some preview copies and the ability to preorder.

[MyWifeIsScary]

Looks overdesigned/tacky

[Knightingale]

It looks too clean, but I guess that fits the sanitised nature of W5.


I'm skeptical that there will be physical books available at gencon, and very skeptical about that they'd do something like UA binder copies. They've got what, four months to redraft, proof, and do layout and art? Maybe six if printing can be done quickly? I don't work in RPG book creation, but that feels a bit tight. Maybe some preview copies and the ability to preorder.

The deep dive was a bit more specific and yeah, it's more like "You can play the game at GenCon, the pdf will definitely be available and the physical version is a 'maybe' for GenCon.".

And what's also relevant: In March more of W5 will be revealed as a preview by Renegade. I assume that's also when the devblog on the WOD-website previewing some of the mechanics also comes out.

[Ragged Robin]

Ehhh the logo fine. It's nothing I'd give much thought to anyway.

[11twiggins]

Yeah not too bothered about the logo. My only substantive critique would be that the W is meant to look like it was made with claws. Later on in the same logo we have claw marks 'cutting' into the letters. Someone glancing at the logo won't realize this because it takes some thought, but it takes you out of it a bit. We already have a Werewolf's claws ripping into the logo in the W, why is it happening a second time?